Senecio macroglossus

Senecio macroglossus
S. macroglossus 'Variegatus'
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Senecioneae
Genus: Senecio
Species: S. macroglossus
Binomial name
Senecio macroglossus
DC.

Senecio macroglossus (Natal ivy, wax ivy) is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to southern Africa, from Zimbabwe and Mozambique to eastern South Africa. Growing to 3 m (10 ft) or more, it is an evergreen climber with waxy triangualr leaves to 8 cm (3 in) long. Single, yellow, daisy-like composite flowerheads are borne in summer.[1]

Despite its common name, and its resemblance to common ivy, it is not closely related to that group of plants. The Latin specific epithet macroglossus means "large tongue".[2]

With a minimum temperature of 5–7 °C (41–45 °F), it is frequently grown as a houseplant in temperate regions. Numerous cultivars have been developed, of which 'Variegatus', with cream-coloured leaf margins, has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[3]

References

  1. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 1405332964.
  2. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN 9781845337315.
  3. "RHS Plant Selector - Senecio macroglossus 'Variegatus'". Retrieved 3 June 2013.


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, April 22, 2014. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.